THE stars are set to shine brightly at Birmingham’s LG Arena next week as X Factor winner Leona Lewis and American hip hop king Jay-Z drop in for concerts.

THE stars are set to shine brightly at Birmingham’s LG Arena next week as X Factor winner Leona Lewis and American hip hop king Jay-Z drop in for concerts.

Leona will light up the Arena on Tuesday and Thursday, while Jay-Z takes to the stage on Wednesday.

For Leona, the show will be part of her first UK arena tour.

She says: ‘‘Over the last few years I’ve had some amazing experiences and sung in some really interesting places but it’s going to be great to be able to perform all my own material on my very own tour. It’s a dream come true.”

Concertgoers can expect stunning state-of-the-art staging and visual effects as well as choreography and an incredible live band. Songs will come from her hit debut album Spirit (such as Bleeding Love, Better In Time and Run) as well as from her latest album Echo.

Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter is such a business phenomenon it’s a wonder he has time to tour!

He’s the founder and chairman of Rocawear and is co-owner of the NJ Nets, 40/40 sports clubs, Carol’s Daughter skin line and Translation Advertising.

After three successful years as President and CEO of Def Jam Recordings, where he fostered the careers of Rihanna, Ne-Yo and Kanye West, he entered into a partnership with Live Nation to form Roc Nation.

He was the first non-athlete to enter into a major footwear co-venture with his S. Carter line for Reebok. In addition, he continues his philanthropic work through his Water For Life initiative and the Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation.

Along the way he’s won multiple Grammy awards and sold more than 40 million albums worldwide!